Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-03-17
INDIAN CRUELTY.


| will recall for his entertainment the
| pet local "reminiscences of Sybrant
Quackenboss' terrible ordeal and
strange experience during the French
| and Indian war, writes Sandy Hill
IN. " correspondent. AS there is
not in the whole history of the early
days of the American colonies a re-
| corded incident possessing a more
peculiar interest than this unrecorded
incident so dear to Washington County.
no stranger ever yet regarded his time
as wasted who listened to its recital.
1t was told the writer on a recent visit
to Sandy Hill, and runs as follows:
Sybrant Quackenboss was the son OF
one of Albany's early Dutch residents,
and was born in that city. In 1850, on
the day he was to marry a young lady
of Albany, he was impressed into the
Colonial service as teamster, and was
put in charge of a load of provisions
which was to be sent to Fort William
Henry from Albany. Lieutenant Nc.
Ginnis, of the Colonial army, with a
number of New Hampshire militia. &C.
compan1ed Sybrant as escort. While
passing through the then unbroken
forest at the great bend of the Hudson,
near the present village of Sandy Hill,
they were attacked by a band of In
dians. said to be under the command OF
the notorious and fiendish Marin. The
little party of Colonials, taken in am
bush, was soon overpOwered. Three
- Ill Id O{h
taken prisoners. The captives were
securely bound with thongs and taken
to an Indian camp. The village green
in Sandy Hill now occupies the site OF
that camp. The prisoners were seated
in row on the trunk of a fallen pine.
A pow-wow was held by the Indians,
which resulted in the savages forming
large circle around the unfortunate
whites. A stalward brave stepped
from the circle and, starting at the head
of the row of prisoners, sank his
tomahawk in their brains, one after an
other until none remained but Lieuten-
ant McGinnis and Sybrant Quacken-
boss. They sat side by side at the foot
of the row. None of the nine prisoners
who had fallen dead beneath the savage
blow of the Indian had offered any re-
sistance, but when he raised his tonra-
hawk above the head of Lieutenant
McGinnis the latter threw himself back
ward from the log, at the same time
planting his feet in the stomach of the
executioner, and sent him flying sever
al feet away. Although this sudden
and unexpected movement ON the part
of the Lieutenant disabled the red
butcher, it only made his own end the
more horrible, for as he lay bound upon
the ground dozen Indians sprang up
on him and chopped him to pieces.
Quackenboss, who sat helpless and
Mortified witness to the butchery of his
comrades, now closed his eyes to re-
ceive his death-blow from the toma-
hawks that were held over his head by
the now Infatuated Indians, but before
one Of them fell he was knocked from
the log by something heavy falling
against him, and opening his eyes he
saw the hideous face of squaw, who
interposed between him and the poised
weapons. It was repetition of the
Pocahontas episode, but lacking every
element of it's romance, for the squaw,
besides being dirty and fiendish in APP
pearance, had interfered in his behalf
simply because she wanted him spared
to become her dog or beast of burden.
After much parleying the squaw's re-
quest was granted, and Sybrant was
handed over to her, fate, as he after
ward remarked, that he thought but
little better than that of his comrades.
The Indians soon afterward broke
camp and took to the trail. Quacken-
boss was laden with the burden of the
band which would have fallen to the lot
of the squaw whose foresight had stood
her in such good need, while she
walked by his side, goading him with
spear whenever he faltered, and show
ing him no mercy. They reached the
shores of Lake Champlain, where they
embarked in canoes At the foot of
the lake there was an Indian village
and there Sybrant was compelled to run
the gauntlet. He was nearly killed by
the clubs of the two lines of Indians,
and was again placed in possession of
the squaw. She doctored his wounds
until he was entirely well. The Indians
went to Canada, where they were
bound to report the possession of their
prisoner to the authorities. The Gov
ernor of Canada took an interest in
in Quackenboss, purchased him from
his Indian mistress, and took him to-,
Montreal. He was kept in the domestic
service of the Governor for three years,
when the latter gave him permission
to send word to his parents that he was
alive, but to have the message deliv-
cred was a difficult matter. 1t was
finally decided to send an Indian to
carry letter addressed to Quacken-
boss father, as near Fort Edward as
he dare approach, and to then place it
in split stick. and set the stick in
spot where parties coming from the
fort would be likely to see it. This
was done. The letter was found and
forwarded to its address. as the son
learned when he got his liberty three
years later and returned to Albany.
Although his affianced had long
mourned him as one dead, she had re-
manned faithful to him, and the we'd
ding ceremonies so suddenly interrupts
ed six years before were performed
amid great rejoicing. Quackenboss,
soon afterward removed to Washing-
ton County, where he died in 1920,
aged ninety-ive years His grave is
neglected, and movement to erect a
suitable monument to his memory,